I feel kind of silly putting this out there.
But honestly, I need accountability.
Fighters fight and writers write. But sometimes, we writers get stunted, scared, stalled, stagnant, and stuck.
What if I fail?
What if I never get published?
What if everyone thinks I’m just a fraud proclaiming myself as a writer?
What if no one reads my book?
What if it never comes together?
What if I never make a dime?
What if I make grammatical mistakes and am judged by editors and fellow English Majors?
What if I sound trite?
What if this has already been done?
These questions plague writers. And by writers, I mean me. Yep, I’m getting real personal here.
You know, these questions remind me of something.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” ” Genesis 3:1 (NIV)
Satan’s first tactic with us was to plant doubts in us that would question what God had spoken to us.
God has spoken to me that I am a writer. He has led me to write a book. I don’t know how He wishes to use that book or what form He wishes to publish it through. But He’s guided my heart and mind to pen the story of His faithfulness that He continues to write through the loss of my dad to cancer so that someone else may be encouraged.
The promise that He whispered to me shortly after my dad died, “You’ll never get over this, but I will get you through this,” is what He wants me to proclaim to the suffering world around me.
But they’ll never hear the story in my heart penned by my Savior unless…I write it down.
And as I often have to, I’m telling Satan once again to go to Hell. Because that’s where he belongs. I don’t want to listen to him anymore. I want to listen to The Truth, Jesus.
So the journey continues, but I’m kicking into high gear the next 31 days.
500 words a day for my book.
No excuses.
I may be doing things out of order in terms of publishing rigamarole. But honestly, fear of getting my ducks in a row for publishing has done nothing but stunt me.
I may not live long enough to get published with Random House, Tyndale House, Broadman and Holeman, or Zondervan.
But if I write, it’s there for someone to read.
So this is it, I’m going to do what writers do and…
Write.
What are you doing these first 31 days of 2014?
2 Comments on “For My First 31 Days of 2014”
My first time to your site. Enjoyed this post very much. Here’s a mantra I use when confronted with similar issues: Do not let Perfect become the enemy of Good.
Get started and do not be deterred by the fact that you do not (yet) see perfect. Start at the end and work backwards. It will get done! Best of luck!
Thanks so much, Hillary! That’s a great summation of how to tackle a task! None of us are perfect, after all. The entire process of life is about being made perfect for those who are followers of Christ. We won’t reach perfection until the next life. So, in the mean time, we must commit our plans and work to the Lord and let Him take care of our faults with grace, but strain toward what is ahead nonetheless! God bless you and thank you so much for stopping by. I hope to see you here again!